Spirits of Southeast Asia: Thailand

When we think of iconic alcoholic beverages from Thailand, beer is always at the forefront. However, in terms of spirit consumption, the majority of the market gravitates towards foreign liquors such as Scotch and brandy. Although there has been an emergence of native-born spirit brands in recent years, they tend to adopt the format of Western spirits, such as gin and rum.

However, there is a small handful of spirits that are distinctively Thai, with roots deeply intertwined with the nation’s history. While traditional spirits in Southeast Asia don’t conform to general categories used in Western spirits, so the term "spirits" is loosely applied to the region, especially Thailand.

Lao Khao and Sura Khao

Lao khao (เหล้าขาว) and Sura khao (สุราขาว) are both catchall terms that translate to "white liquor." It has a long history of production in Thailand, with records of its consumption dating back to the 15th century. In his travelogue Yingya Shengla, Chinese explorer Ma Huan briefly mentioned the existence of two distilled liquors in the Ayutthaya Kingdom; one made from rice, and the other, coconut. French diplomat Simon de la Loubère, who visited the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 17th century, also noted a drink called Laou, described as an aqua vitae made from rice.

During the time of King Rama I in the late 18th century, the government-owned distillery produced spirits labelled as Lao tong (เหล้าโรง) or "factory liquor." Private production was illegal during this period, though small numbers of moonshiners persisted. The term "Lao khao" became commonplace when Lao si (เหล้าสี), or "colored liquor" (eg. Mekhong) was introduced to the Thai market.

While traditional Lao khao is made from rice or glutinous rice, modern variations can be made from molasses or other sugarcane derivatives. Traditional Lao khao made from rice is more common among small distillers, as rice is easier to procure and the process is simpler.

The process of making traditional Lao khao begins with the making of yeast balls called look-pang (ลูกแป้ง). Similar to the Chinese jiuqu (酒曲), these yeast balls are made from ground-up rice inoculated with yeast and mold, mixed with spices like galangal and long pepper. While commercial versions exist (such as those imported from China), some Lao khao producers still prefer their own yeast cake as it imparts unique flavors to the final product. The addition of spices also helps prevent the growth of unwanted bacteria for long-term storage.

During the production of Lao khao, the yeast balls are ground into powder before being added to steamed rice and water. This mix is left to ferment for a couple of days before distillation can take place.

Lao khao distiller with rudimentary still; the pan on top is filled with cold water.

For small-scale distillers in the city, distillation is done using stainless steel stills. In northern Thailand, such as in Issan and Chiang Mai, earthen pot stills and simple copper stills are not uncommon. 

Traditionally, Lao khao is distilled once, and most distillers will often bottle the drink without cutting the head and tail of the distillate. As such, it retains some unpleasant volatile compounds such as acetone, which contributes to the abrasive flavors. Lao khao are also often bottled immediately after distillation, preventing the distillate to rest and break down unwanted compounds, which contributes to its strong and sharp effect on the palate.

Modern Lao khao is made from molasses (similar to rum) using commercial yeast and column stills, and lacks the nuances of rice Lao khao which exudes subtle rice sweetness with some herb and spice nuances. Modern Lao Khao is more neutral-flavored, similar to vodka or white rum. Modern Lao khao is cheap, and is usually a drink of choice for laborers and the underprivileged.

Lao khao is synonymous with Kap klaem (กับแกล้ม), a social gathering that involves drinking while snacking. The term also translates to "drinking foods" which are strongly-flavored (salty, sour, and/or spicy) to balance out the intense flavor of Lao khao. Kap klaem snacks are usually crunchy: think peanuts, pork scratchings or fried chicken.

Ya Dong

Ya dong (ยาดอง), or Ya dong lao (ยาดองเหล้า), are medicinal spirits using Lao khao infused with medical herbs. As alcohol is used to extract the active compounds in the herbs, Ya dong is a type of health tonic consumed in small doses like medicine.

Homemade Ya Dong (middle row) sold as herbal infusion or tinctures at a bar

The practice has roots in Ayurveda; early medicinal infusions were prepared by Buddhist and Hindu monks and administered in temples and royal courts. The Tamra Phaetsart Songkroh (Textbook of Medicine, Royal Edition), one of the earliest records of Thai Traditional Medicine from the 18th century, lists several herbal recipes – using spices such as garlic and galangal – to alleviate ailments and illnesses.

Due to its religious roots, animal-infused Ya Dong is not considered traditional and is influenced by neighboring countries such as Vietnam.

Notable mention: Thai "Whiskies"

Several Thai native alcohol brands are often described as “whiskies,” although they are more akin to rum than whisky. This misnomer is likely due to the initial position of Mekhong, which was introduced in 1941 to capture the market share of luxury and imported liquor, specifically whiskies. Some early advertising posters for the brand from the 1940s specifically used the term "Thai Finest Whisky" to illustrate its brand positioning.

SangSom and Hong Thong – both brands introduced towards the end of the 1970s – are two Thai spirits often erroneously referred to as "whiskies" by the locals. This situation could have occurred as a result of the (successful) marketing of Mekhong, which created a culture of calling all brown spirits "whisky."

Old Mekhong posters from the 1940s marketing it as “Thai’s Finest Whisky”

SangSom fits the description of flavored or spiced rum. In fact, the label on SangSom specifies it as a "rum," made from sugarcane and flavored with a blend of Thai herbs and spices to make it palatable to the domestic market. It’s aged in oak barrels, much like some dark rums, allowing the spirit to smoothen its edge. 

Hong Thong is actually marketed as a "blended spirit" made from both molasses and rice spirits. It’s the most popular Thai spirit within the country – the brand captures over 60% market share of all domestic brown spirits. The most common way to enjoy the drink is with mixers like soda or cola.

Mekhong, on the other hand, is a unique spirit made from 95% molasses and 5% rice. It’s also blended with various herbs and spices (like chilli, cinnamon, ginger, and star anise) for a familiar Thai flavour. Mekhong's base spirit does bear similarity to Batavia Arrack, a molasses-rice spirit with roots in Jakarta, Indonesia. Today, Mekhong markets itself as "The Spirit of Thailand" and leans towards its more rum-like definition.

That being said, there are proper Thai whiskies that have been released in recent years. Prakaan, the first single malt whisky made in Thailand, could mark the end of Thai molasses-based spirits being misidentified as "whiskies." 

Brands like Mekhong, SangSom, and Hong Thong represent a different expression of rum-like spirits that paved the way for new generations of Thai rums to build upon.